Till the End
by marvel26
Summary: When all's said and done.


Disclaimer: I do not own the intellectual properties depicted herein. I do not own the characters portrayed. I make no claim to own any part of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'. All intellectual properties depicted herein belong to the creators of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender.' and Nickelodeon.

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"The comet's headed this way Avatar. My victory is assured."

Ozai's overconfidence echoed through Aang's pain addled mind as he lay there barely moving after the horrific battle that had taken place between him and the would be world conqueror.

Said conqueror was laying merely feet away, face first in a growing pool of his vile blood. Aang couldn't help but chuckle, despite pain crackling down his body with each bark of laughter.

"Well...guess that settles...that."

If he could find the strength and saliva to spit on Ozai, he would have. He could only find limp muscles and blood. Ignoring the pain, Aang focused on the good he'd done and the joy he should feel...and realized he could find none.

"To save the world...I took the life of another. I saved the world. I saved the world..."

Rolling his head back, pausing to stare into the high domed ceiling of the Agni Kai arena. The damage to the room was immense. Not surprising as scorch marks marred the walls, ice spears impaled on the throne, debris flung around by tornados and spikes of earth jutting out from the very floor. Aang looked to his right.

Ozai's body.

Trying his best, Aang did manage to spit past his dry throat and bleeding lips,

"Ha."

Small victories.

The fight had taken a terrible toll on the young man's body. Severe internal bleeding, various broken bones, numerous burns,

"And I think he knocked one of my teeth out."

Smiling through the cough that wracked excruciating hurt down his ribs, Aang rolled over crawled towards his left, his legs long since given out on him.

"Where's Teo and his chair when you need him?"

The joke fell on deaf ears in the arena. Undaunted, Aang pressed on, trying his damndest to reach the small figure lying limp against the wall. The vibrations weak and fading.

Doubt and fear raced through his mind,

"No. Please no. No. No. No. Spirits! No!"

With strength his didn't even knew he had left, Aang dug his bleeding fingers into the stone floor,

"Move!"

Crying out to no one but himself.

"Move! Damn it! MOVE!"

With a mighty pull, he moved the earth beneath him a foot. Then he did it again. And again. And again.

Last reserves of adrenaline pumping through his failing heart, Aang could not give up. He would not give up.

She would never let him give up.

Fingers finally brushed against a small calloused foot. Salty tears of blood and water ran unabashed down his soot covered cheeks.

A heart beat.

Faint and fading fast.

But a heart beat still.

Outside the great metal doors to the inner sanctum, the Avatar could hear the sounds of death and destruction still raging on.

Swords clashed. The metallic ring vibrating through the ground he lay bleeding on. Shouts, shouts. A man's voice strong and tempered by loss rang out. 'We've broken through! Charge!' Aang could almost hear the tears. Another voice, a female one, cried out, "You heard the man! Move!"

"Sokka. Suki."

The crackling of lightning ending with a short cry and the stench of scorched flesh. With a great dragon's roar filled with anguish, pain and sorrow. Aang felt the death of three more soldiers as they were incinerated into glowing ash.

"Zuko."

With slowly numbing fingers, the Avatar felt the ground to his left. Four statues stood frozen. Another was flung into the wall, he could feel the man's bones splinter and organs rupture. A woman's yell, laden with grief and hurt. 'We have to get to Aang!' The clear rush of water...no..._blood_ swept past his ears.

"Katara."

Aang smiled softly, holding the smaller figure tighter to him, gently stroking her hair and back, taking comfort in the soft thumps of both their hearts beating in unison,

"It's going to be alright. We saved the world. It's going to be alright. It's going to be alright."

And that was how they found them.

The Avatar and The Blind Bandit.

In a gentle embrace.

Smiles on both their serene faces.

Till the end.

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**End.**

An old piece I found while rooting through my files.


End file.
